Science Activities

Helping children get ready for kindergarten is very much like kids themselves: it develops over time. Little bit by little bit, with lots of repetition is the key to kindergarten readiness. Adding something different to an activity creates a new learning opportunity. As a matter of fact, today’s blog makes something out of nothing–the ‘nothing’ being holes.

Containers with holes have a strange effect on water. The water leaks from the hole. Colanders have holes all over so the water comes out quickly. Show your child what happens when a container has a small hole and compare that to one with a big hole. Your child may naturally try holding the container close and then higher up to see if there’s any difference or you can do it. Talking about what happens helps your child learn to process and express information.

For older kids, a tall, thin container with 3 holes is quite surprising. A plastic tube works great. When water is poured in, water comes out the holes but all 3 are different. The top one just trickles out and the bottom really squirts. As before, talking about the result is really valuable. Kids’ explanations reveal a lot about their thinking. Even holes can help when it comes to readiness for kindergarten.

Turning on some learning fun for your child is as easy as turning on the tap. When kids play in the water, besides filling, pouring, and splashing, they are also measuring. A big bowl needs lots of little cups to fill it up. It holds more water than just a cupful. When a big cup is dumped out, it overflows a smaller one because not all the water fits into the little one. Big containers make big splashes and sometimes the water goes all over. Little containers are better for taking a drink.

This learning from experience starts early. Having lots of opportunities to play and discover makes a difference in terms of children’s development and promotes readiness for kindergarten. As your child enjoys some water play, talk about what’s happening so the learning doesn’t drain away.

Q. What runs and runs but never gets tired? A. Water, when you leave the tap on!

Since repetition is one of the 3 R’s for kindergarten readiness, I will repeat some of the fun and learning from sand play that I wrote about in the first half of the month. Instead of sand, though, this time water is the material. One thing about water, it’s usually quite easy to clean up.

Filling  up a container with water and then pouring it out is a science activity.  Kids are learning to observe what happens and to make predictions about what will happen next. They enjoy seeing how full a container can be before the water spills over the edge. They notice that as the container is more and more filled, it is also more and more heavy.  Kids also see that water does not keep the shape of the container, but flows out. Observing, predicting and questioning are powerful strategies for all kinds of learning.

Water play can happen in the tub, at the kitchen sink, in a backyard toddler pool, or even with a big container of water set on a thick towel or a lawn. Water toys can include plastic spoons and forks, yogurt containers, old toothbrushes, empty shampoo bottles, vegetable strainers, and more.

There are many other kindergarten readiness skills that kids from wee ones to older ones ready to start school can learn. We’ll look at more of them over the next few days. In the meantime, do those plastics really need recycling or can they be used for some water play and learning for a few days?